The Hoofers Effect

Hoofers is dedicated to making its activities accessible to people at all levels of experience — including no experience. Adam Remus

When you attend a university that sits on a lake, how could you not appreciate the outdoors?

Fortunately, since the 1930s, the Wisconsin Hoofers has taken advantage of UW–Madison’s proximity to nature. While sailing on Lake Mendota remains the student-led organization’s most recognizable and popular programming, Hoofers also offers membership to clubs that span every season and an enormous range of outdoor activities.

The Sailing Club organizes lessons, rentals, and races. The Outing Club guides wilderness excursions across the state and country, from canoeing and whitewater kayaking to backpacking and snowshoeing. The Mountaineering Club climbs the indoor rock wall of Union South, the bluffs of Devil’s Lake State Park, and summits as far as Spain. The Riding Club saddles up for lessons and competitions on horseback. The Scuba Club dives underwater to explore local lakes and international waters. The Ski and Snowboard Club trains at Tyrol Basin in Mount Horeb, rides down mountains out west, and chases winter conditions all the way to Chile in the off months.

Wisconsin Hoofers is not only unique for these broad offerings but also for its mission to make outdoor adventure accessible to people at all levels of experience — including no experience — thanks to robust education and certification programs.

“At other universities, the riding club might be limited to folks who have been riding since they could walk. But here, we’ve had students who’d never even seen a horse before going on to learn, compete, and win nationals,” says Madeleine Carr, communications specialist for the Wisconsin Union, which houses Hoofers.

Bree Ward-Debauche

More than 2,220 students, faculty, staff, and community members are active members of Hoofers. Joining a club requires a Wisconsin Union lifetime or annual membership (if not a student) and a separate fee that helps cover equipment.

Hoofers’ popularity has prompted UW–Madison to propose a $2.7 million renovation of its boat storage and education facility by the Memorial Union shoreline. The project would use private funds and add equipment rental and storage space plus a rooftop event area.

Hoofers, it seems, is here to stay.

“Every year, people join the Mountaineering Club who are scared of heights, and then within a year, they’re teaching others how to set anchors,” says Luke Waldhuetter ’26, president of the Hoofers Council. “Even for me, I had never been scuba diving before Hoofers, and now I love planning dive trips and relating to a whole other community. It’s completely changed my life.”

Sahil Joshi

Published in the Summer 2026 issue